Animal cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cooling apparatus includes a neck portion sized to wrap around the neck of an animal and a poll cap portion adapted to cover at least the poll of the animal. The neck portion includes an upper end, a lower end, a first edge extending between the upper and lower ends and defining one side of the neck portion, a second edge extending between the upper and lower ends and defining another side of the neck portion, and a pocket adapted to contain a refrigerant. The poll cap portion includes a pocket adapted to contain a refrigerant. The apparatus may be employed with any suitable refrigerant, including, but not limited to, a single-use refrigerant or a reusable refrigerant.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This application relates generally to the field of cold therapytreatment and more particularly to cold therapy treatment for animals.

SUMMARY

Animals are frequently exposed to extended periods of time in the sunand/or extended periods of work or sport. In addition, animals arefrequently transported in trailers, or the like, which are not airconditioned. These conditions often lead to the animal becomingextremely hot. Extended periods of time at such elevated temperaturesmay lead to substantial health problems for the animal, including, butnot limited to, heat stroke and even death. One common means for coolingan animal involves spraying the animal down with water from a hose whichmay not be efficient in terms of either time or cooling effect.Therefore, there exists a significant need for an apparatus for coolingan animal which is efficient and easy to use.

In particular, this application discloses a cooling apparatuscomprising: a neck portion sized to wrap around the neck of an animal,the neck portion including: an upper end; a lower end; a first edgeextending between the upper and lower ends and defining one side of theneck portion; a second edge extending between the upper and lower endsand defining another side of the neck portion; a pocket adapted tocontain a refrigerant; and a poll cap portion adapted to cover at leastthe poll of the animal, the poll cap including a pocket adapted tocontain a refrigerant.

This application also discloses a cooling apparatus comprising: a neckportion sized to wrap around the neck of an animal, the neck portionincluding: an upper end; a lower end; a first edge extending between theupper and lower ends and defining one side of the neck portion; a secondedge extending between the upper and lower ends and defining anotherside of the neck portion; a first pocket containing a refrigerant; and apoll cap portion adapted to cover at least the poll of the animal, thepoll cap including a second pocket containing a refrigerant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings, when considered in connection with the followingdescription, are presented for the purpose of facilitating anunderstanding of the subject matter sought to be protected.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cooling apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is an environmental view of the cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-2, wherein like numerals indicate like elementsthroughout and wherein a cooling apparatus 100 is shown. The apparatus100 generally includes a neck portion 102 and a poll cap portion 104.The neck portion 102 may include an upper end 106, a lower end 108, afirst edge 110 extending between the ends 106, 108 and a second edge 112extending between the ends 106, 108. A securing mechanism may be coupledto one or both of the edges 110, 112. The securing mechanism may beconfigured to releasably secure the first edge 110 to the second edge112 such that the neck portion 102 may be releasably wrapped around theneck 15 of an animal 10. While the illustrative animal 10 is a horse, itwill be appreciated that the apparatus 100 may be utilized with anysuitable animal. In the illustrative embodiment, the securing mechanism116 a Velcro® assembly with one of the hook and loop portion coupled ator near the first edge 110 and the other of the hook and loop portioncoupled at or near the second edge 112. However, it will be appreciatedthat any suitable mechanism may be coupled to the neck portion 102 whichpermits the neck portion 102 to be releasably wrapped about the neck ofan animal and such embodiments remain within the scope of the presentdisclosure. For example, and without limitation, the securing mechanismmay be a button assembly, a buckle assembly, a clip assembly, a hook andloop assembly, a hook and catch assembly, a magnet assembly, an adhesiveassembly, or any other suitable device or assembly operable toreleasably secure the neck portion 102 in a wrapped position about theneck of the animal.

The neck portion 102 may include an upper panel 114 and a lower panel(not shown) defining a pocket therebetween. The pocket may be adapted tocontain a refrigerant therein. The refrigerant may be any suitabledevice or material capable of cooling the neck of an animal. In oneembodiment, the refrigerant is a one-time, or single-use, useendothermic refrigerant, such as water and ammonium chloride that aresegregated within the pocket and subsequently mixed together by a userto produce an endothermic reaction that is capable of cooling the neckof the animal. In an alternative embodiment, the refrigerant may be areusable refrigerant, such as water, a gel refrigerant, or any otherrefrigerant capable of multiple uses. Other suitable refrigerant devicesor materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art and areconsidered within the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, itwill be appreciated that the pocket may extend substantially the lengthand width of the neck portion 102. Alternatively, it will be appreciatedthat neck portion 102 may be segregated such that neck portion includesa plurality of pockets and/or ribs. In yet another alternative, one ormore smaller pockets may be disposed about the neck portion 102.

The poll cap portion 104 is adapted to cover at least a portion of thepoll 20 of the animal 10. The poll cap portion 104 may be configured tocover a portion of the poll 20, the entire poll 20, or the poll 20 aswell as other portions of the animal's skull adjacent to the poll 20.The poll cap portion 104 may be positioned at or near the upper edge 106of the neck portion 102. While the illustrative embodiment shows thepoll cap 104 as having a generally round shape, it will be appreciatedthat the poll cap portion 104 may have any suitable shape. Additionally,the poll cap portion 104 may include an upper panel 118 and a lowerpanel (not shown) defining a pocket therebetween. The pocket may beadapted to contain a refrigerant therein. The refrigerant may besubstantially similar to those discussed with respect to the neckportion 102 and operable to cool the poll 20 of the animal 10. In oneembodiment, the neck portion pocket and poll cap portion pocket are influid communication and share a common refrigerant. Alternatively, thepockets may not be in fluid communication and may or may not have thesame, or same type (e.g., single use, reusable, etc.) of, refrigeranttherein. In one embodiment, the refrigerant of at least one of the neckportion pocket and poll portion pocket is operable to also cool veins,such as one or more jugular veins, and blood flowing therethrough.

The apparatus 100 may also include one or more apertures 120 forreceiving one or more ears 25 of the animal 10. The apertures 120 mayextend through one or both of the neck portion 102 and poll cap portion104. The neck portion 102 and poll cap portion 104 may be formed fromany suitable material. Illustrative materials include, withoutlimitation, textiles, polymers, etc. In one embodiment, the apparatus100 is formed from a lightweight, water-proof and durable material.Additionally, the portion of each inner panel (of one or both of theneck portion 102 and poll cap portion 104) that contacts the neck 15and/or poll 20 of the animal 10 may include materials and/or features toenhance heat transfer from the animal 10 to the apparatus 100. Forexample, a textile, such as terry cloth, may be disposed on the innerpanel and dampened prior to application of the apparatus 100 to theanimal 10 such that heat transfer between the animal 10 and apparatus100 may be enhanced. Other materials, features and/or techniques forenhancing such heat transfer will be apparent to those skilled in theart and are considered within the scope of the present disclosure.

While the present disclosure has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosedembodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling apparatus comprising: a neck portionsized to wrap around the neck of an animal, the neck portion including:an upper end; a lower end; a first edge extending between the upper andlower ends and defining one side of the neck portion; a second edgeextending between the upper and lower ends and defining another side ofthe neck portion; a pocket adapted to contain a refrigerant; and a pollcap portion adapted to cover at least the poll of the animal, the pollcap including a pocket adapted to contain a refrigerant.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the first edge is adapted to be releasablycoupled to the second edge such that the neck portion is capable ofbeing releasably wrapped around the neck of the animal.
 3. The apparatusof claim 1 further comprising a securing mechanism for releasablycoupling the first edge to the second edge such that the neck portion iscapable of being releasably secured about the neck of the animal.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 4 wherein the securing mechanism is a buttonassembly, a Velcro assembly, a buckle assembly, a clip assembly, a hookand loop assembly, a hook and catch assembly, a magnet assembly, or anadhesive assembly.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising arefrigerant disposed within at least one of the neck portion pocket andthe poll cap portion pocket.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein therefrigerant is activated via a chemical reaction.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 5 wherein the refrigerant is a reusable refrigerant.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7 wherein the refrigerant comprises a gelrefrigerant.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the poll cap portion iscoupled to the upper end of the neck portion.
 10. The apparatus of claim1 further comprising at least one aperture adapted to receive at leastone ear of the animal.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at leastone aperture extends through both the neck portion and the poll capportion.
 12. A cooling apparatus comprising: a neck portion sized towrap around the neck of an animal, the neck portion including: an upperend; a lower end; a first edge extending between the upper and lowerends and defining one side of the neck portion; a second edge extendingbetween the upper and lower ends and defining another side of the neckportion; a first pocket containing a refrigerant; and a poll cap portionadapted to cover at least the poll of the animal, the poll cap includinga second pocket containing a refrigerant.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10wherein the first and second pockets are in fluid communication.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 10 further comprising a securing mechanism forreleasably coupling the first edge to the second edge such that the neckportion is capable of being releasably secured about the neck of theanimal.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the securing mechanism isa button assembly, a Velcro assembly, a buckle assembly, a clipassembly, a hook and loop assembly, a hook and catch assembly, a magnetassembly, or an adhesive assembly.
 16. The apparatus of claim 10 whereinthe neck portion refrigerant and poll cap portion refrigerant are thesame.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the refrigerant is activatedby a chemical reaction.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein therefrigerant is a gel refrigerant.
 19. The apparatus of claim 10 furthercomprising at least one aperture adapted to receive at least one ear ofthe animal.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein at least one apertureextends through both the neck portion and the poll cap portion.